Decimal point printer calculating machines



Oct. 22, 1963 H. J. CHALL ETAL DECIMAL POINT PRINTER CALCULATING MACHINES Filed Feb. 12, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 O 1963 H. J. CHALL ETAL DECIMAL POINT PRINTER CALCULATING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 12, 1962 Q o 8 Q Q e O s o 0 O 0 Q o wQ O O 0 Q Q 0 M69 m nmQ SQ Gwki N3 WmQ QQ 0 \wQ a 3% 5 o a IW WIHI H United States Patent 3,107,607 DECIMAL POINT PRINTER CALCULATING MACHINES Harold J. Chall, Castro Valley, and Cecil G. Olson, San

Francisco, Calif., assignors to Friden, Inc., a corporation of California Filed Feb. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 172,689 2 Claims. (Cl. 101-93) The present invention relates to automatic printing calculating machines, and more particularly to a settable decimal point printer therefor.

The present invention is embodied in the same machine that is disclosed more fully in the copending applications or Harold J. Chall, Serial No. 138,645, filed September 18, 196-1, and of Harold J. 'Chall and Charles W. Wiedeman, Serial No. 117,096, filed June 14, 1961, to which reference is made for supplementing the description herein. For convenience, identical parts are identified by the same reference numerals in this and in those copending applications. The present invention constitutes an improvement on the well-known Friden ten-key adding machine, shown, for example, in Chall, Patent No. 2,832,530.

Objects of the invention include the 3 provision of a decimal point printer utilizing momentum for providing 2 operating cycle of the machine, the bail 344 is returned to its uppermost or home position, shown in FIG. 4, for returning all of the actuator sectors 340 to their home positions.

The printing mechanism of the present machine is of a Well-known type, similar to that shown in Patent No. 2,779,267. A number print wheel 1610 (FIG. 2) is provided for each numerical order of the actuator and is geared to its respective actuator sector 340 (FIG. 4). Each such print wheel is carried on a separate print wheel carrier 1611 journalled on a shaft 1612. and biased by a spring 1613 (FIG. 4) to drive its wheel 1610 against a printing roller 1614. A print bail rod 161.7 underlies the tails 1605 of all of the print wheel carriers 1611 for controlling them.

The bail rod 1617 is normally held by a cam (not shown) in the position shown in FIG. 4 for holding all the print wheel carriers 1611 spaced from the print roller 1614. The cam is provided with a sharp drop-off which causes the bail 1617 to suddenly release all the carriers 1611, so that each may be individually driven by its own spring 1613 in a printing stroke. Means are provided for blocking the operation of the bail 1617 when all printing is to be suppressed, and a zero foil mechanism 1640 the force for the printing impression, the provision of a separate printing element in each position in which a printed decimal point is to be permitted, and settable blocking means for selectively blocking the printing elements in certain ones of said positions, the pro-vision of a lost motion driving connection between a decimal point printing element and an adjacent character printing element, and the provision of an improved and simplified decimal point printer for a calculating machine.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of a specific embodiment thereof, and from the claims, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view from the upper right front showing a numeral printwheel and the decimal point selection mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view from the upper right front of a print wheel assembly with a decimal point printing element;

FIG. 3 is a left elevational view for explaining the operation of the decimal printing member; and,

FIG. 4 is a left elevational section of a calculating machine in which the present invention is used.

The present machine is provided with an actuator which includes a separate actuator sector 340 (FIG. 4) for each numerical order of the machine. Each sector 340 is separately rotatable on a transverse actuator shaft 342 and is oscillated thereon during each operating cycle of the machine by an actuator bail 344- which lies in slots 341 in the sectors.

During the first half of each operating cycle of the machine, the actuator bail rod 344 is driven downward (clockwise in FIG. 4). During this motion the bail rod 344 drives against a hook-shaped, spring-loaded member, or sickle, 345 journalled on each actuator sector 340 for driving the sector as far as it is free to rotate. As is Wellknown, the limit on the rotation of each actuator sector is imposed by the element, such as a selector sector 196, from which a digit is being transferred to the actuator sector, and the permitted rotation of each actuator sector 340 is proportional to the value of the digit being transferred to it. The actuator sectors are held in the respective positions to which they are thus driven, during the printing operation. Then, during the second half of each of known construction is provided for suppressing the printing of n-onsignificant zeros.

As may be seen in FIGS. -1 and 2, each carrier 16111 for the numeral print wheel 1610 includes right and left arms 1845 and 1846. The right arm includes a projection 1847 which. lies in a slot 1848 in a guide plate 1849 which, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4, is supported on the frame of the machine. Each of certain ones of the print wheel carriers 1611 carries also a decimal point hammer 1850, pinned at 1851 to the left arm 1846. This hammer also carries a projection 1852 that lies in one of the slots 1848. Conveniently, the projection 1852 of the hammer carried by a particular carrier 1611 lies in the same slot as the projection 1847 of the wheel carrier in the next order to the left, that is, the next higher order. As may be seen in FIG. 3, the projections 1852 lie above and to the rear of the projections 1847, that is, advanced in the direction of the printing stroke.

The decimal point hammer 1850 rocks free between two stops provided by an ear 1853 on the arm 1845 and the axle pin 1854 of the drive gear 1855.. The hammer 1850 includes a decimal impression point 1860 for printing the decimal point by impact. When the print wheel is released for the printing stroke (by the movement of bail 1617, FIG. 4), the hammer 1850 is carried with it and thrown against the print roller 1614.

Selective printing of the decimal point is provided by blocking most of the hammers 1 850 and leaving unblocked only the one hammer, or more, where a printed decimal point is Wanted. For this purpose a slide 1861 is supported on shoulder studs 1862 on the guide plate 1 849. This slide is provided with a guiding ear 1863 that slides on the plate 1849, a handle 1864, and a series of notches 1865 which cooperate with a spring-loaded detent 1866 journalled on the upper right end portion of the slotted guide plate 184 9. As shown in FIG. 3, the slide 1861 is spaced slightly from the slotted guide plate 1849 so as to clear the projections 1847 and 1852. The slide includes a flange 1867 which is far enough from the print roller 1614 to catch projections 1852 of the decimal point hammers 1850 and block their printing, but not in position to block the projections 1847 0d the print wheel carriers.- A notch 1868, in the upper and rear edge of the guide 1861 and in the flange 1867, will clear the projection 1852 of a decimal point hammer 1850. Thus, the particular hammer 1850, with which the notch 1868 is aligned, will print, and those not aligned with such a 2,832,532. Additional notches, similar to 1868, may be provided in the slide 1861 as desired. For example, notches may be provided at every third order to the left of the principal notch 1868, which is' aligned with the pointer 1869. V

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all respects as'illus-trative and not restrictive, the scope 0f the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing descrip tion, and all changes which come Within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are, therefore, intended to be embraced therein. 1

We claim:

-1. In a calculating machine in combination,

(a) a plural order printing register including a differentially settable digit printer for each order,

(b) means for driving said digit printers in a hammerlike stroke for making a printing impression,

(c) a plurality of punctuation printing'mem'bers each positioned between two adjacent ones of said digit printers, and v (d) means for selectively blocking the printing stroke of certain of said decimal point members for con trolling the position of the punctuation in the printed number,

(e) said blocking means comprising a slide movable transordinally of the register and having an abutment surface extended transordina'lly and positioned to block the printing strokes of said punctuationprinting members, a

( said extended abutment surface having a gap intermediate its ends for permitting one of said punctuation-printing members to print, 7

(g) means for detenting said slide and said gap in a plurality of transordinal positions foraligning said gap with said punctuation-printing members one at a time.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said slide comprises a formed metal sheet having a slot for guiding its transordinal motion on a supporting member, having a turned-over rim, one face of which constitutes said abutment surface, having detent notches along'one edge, and having a pointer for indicating the ordinal position or the printed punctuation. 1

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. IN A CALCULATING MACHINE IN COMBINATION, (A) A PLURAL ORDER PRINTING REGISTER INCLUDING A DIFFERENTIALLY SETTABLE DIGIT PRINTER FOR EACH ORDER, (B) MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID DIGIT PRINTERS IN A HAMMERLIKE STROKE FOR MAKING A PRINTING IMPRESSION, (C) A PLURALITY OF PUNCTUATION PRINTING MEMBERS EACH POSITIONED BETWEEN TWO ADJACENT ONES OF SAID DIGIT PRINTERS, AND (D) MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY BLOCKING THE PRINTING STROKE OF CERTAIN OF SAID DECIMAL POINT MEMBERS FOR CONTROLLING THE POSITION OF THE PUNCTUATION IN THE PRINTED NUMBER, 